Question

____________ is a polysaccharide that is found primarily in plant cells as a form of energy storage. it is ____________ and as a result, it is not very soluble in water.

Answer 1

Answer;

-Starch, moderately branched

-Starch is a polysaccharide that is found primarily in plant cells as a form of energy storage. it is moderately branched and as a result, it is not very soluble in water.

Explanation;

-Polysaccharides are long chains of monosaccharides linked by glycosidic bonds. Starch is among the three important polysaccharides that are composed of glucose, others being, glycogen, and cellulose, are composed of glucose.

-Starch and glycogen serve as short-term energy stores in plants and animals, respectively. The glucose monomers are linked by α glycosidic bonds.

-Glycogen and starch are highly branched, which is an advantage in that the enzymes that build up and break down glycogen and starch act on the free ends of the polysaccharides. The branching thus ensures that plants and animals can quickly add to their energy supply when energy is plentiful, or break it down the storage molecules when energy is in short supply.